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Joining the Wenches

(or: How one becomes a Wench, and why most people are happier not doing it)

People often ask how to audition for the Wenches. The short answer is: You don’t. The slightly Longer Answer is: We are not a cast you try out for –  we’re a group you grow into.  There are several ways to be part of our world, and every one of them is valid.

The Otherhood - Our Extended Chaos

This is where everyone starts – and where many of our favorite people often stay.  The Otherhood primarily lives on Discord, keeping us connected in real time no matter where we are. Members gather both online and in person for shows, events, and general shenanigans. While the Wenches are active there, the space is full of a much larger circle of wonderful community members.

As part of the Otherhood you’ll hear about upcoming shows (and stand-alone auditions), background performer opportunities, and open classes. You can jump into conversations, help behind-the-scenes with event planning and publicity or day-of kittening and music – or just enjoy a lively community of oddball artists and delightful misfits who occasionally assemble for drinks and music.  

There’s no pressure to do more than you want or take on more than you can. We all have busy lives; the Otherhood exists so people can connect and have fun at the level that fits them.

The Otherhood includes:

  • Current Wenches & TITs

  • Volunteers & stagehands

  • Area and regional performing artists

  • Dedicated & Darling friends and fans who like to gossip with us behind-the-scenes

  • Friends who want to know what nonsense we’re up to and find out where we’ll be so they can be there!

If you want to create art with us, but not be in charge of the whole circus, this is your lane.

Join the Otherhood on Discord HERE

Tarts in Training (TITs) - Learning the Ropes

There is no application to become a TIT. 

New members are invited only after we’ve spent real time working together – shows, classes, volunteering, collaborations. No one starts out as a stranger.

Each September at Pirate Fest, we formally introduce new TITs, and also announce which TITs have graduated to full Wench. Graduation isn’t automatic. Over roughly a year, you’ll work on refining your Wench character and performance style, while learning about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing our shows. Everyone contributes differently, but everyone contributes. 

This means helping where you can, taking on responsibilities suited to your strengths, participating in planning, and figuring out how to keep things moving when chaos inevitably appears. As a small troupe, we have many of the same needs of a larger troupe, with no permanent home and a much smaller budget. It requires creativity and flexibility to make the magic happen, and our members have to be ready to roll up our sleeves and help, even if it means putting ourselves second to other performers. 

Being a TIT is a crash course in theater production theory. The goal isn’t to see if you can be in a show. It’s to see if you can help run one.

And if it turns out not to be your cup of tea, it’s okay. You simply step back into the Otherhood – no drama, no exile. You’re still part of our community. You can still submit audition pieces for our open stage events, if you want, or you can just participate as a community member. Whatever feels best for you.

Full Wenches - The Core Crew

The Ongoing Commitments

  • Weekly rehearsals (about 2 hours)

  • Roughly 4 large troupe productions per year

  • 4–6 guest shows for other producers

  • Setup and teardown before and after events

  • Active communication and engagement in the Otherhood Discord and on primary social media channels

  • Active communication in admin Discord

  • Promotion and ticket sales

  • Regional networking and booking outreach

  • Developing solo and group acts

A Wench isn’t just a performer or someone having a good time out on the town (although we try hard to make it look that way). They are simultaneously the cast, the crew, the marketing department, the problem-solvers, and occasionally the person holding a safety pin and a hot-glue gun when a guest performer has a wardrobe malfunction backstage.  Each member contributes according to their strengths. Whether that’s connections, publicity, organization, builds, design, logistics, etc – everyone carries part of the weight.  Showing up only when you’re onstage, or only at call time,  doesn’t work here.

Initiative, follow-through, and helping without being asked matter far more than how impressive your act is.

The Human Part

We travel together.
We share dressing spaces.
We touch, flirt, tickle, prod and generally fluster one another. We have long car rides, late nights, early mornings, and a lot of general co-existence.  Trust, discretion, and mutual comfort are non-negotiable.

We operate in the area of comedy that walks a careful line – we are lewd, crude, and often over-the-top sexual, without ever mocking or belittling our audience members. We may make jokes of a sexual nature, but we would never tease someone about their sexuality or gender identity.  We emphasize consent, playful experiences, and naughty enjoyment – but all of that goes out the window if someone steps a foot over the line. Anyone performing as a troupe member must understand the difference between a dirty joke and a bad one, and should prioritize respecting boundaries and honoring consent.